Renovationhttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/renovation
en-usSun, 02 Aug 2015 20:51:27 -0400Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:51:27 -0400The latest news on Renovation from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/laguardia-airport-renovations-4-billion-2015-7See the stunning $4 billion renovations planned for LaGuardia Airporthttp://www.businessinsider.com/laguardia-airport-renovations-4-billion-2015-7
Thu, 30 Jul 2015 06:30:00 -0400Emma Fierberg and Associated Press
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<p>Plans have been revealed to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/a-new-4-billion-laguardia-airport-coming-2015-7">update and renovate LaGuardia Airport</a> in New York City. The new terminals could be open as early as 2019.</p>
<p><em>Produced by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/author/emma-fierberg">Emma Fierberg</a>. Video courtesy of Associated Press and The Port Authority of NY &amp; NJ. </em></p>
<p><strong>Follow BI Video:</strong> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsider.Video">On Facebook</a></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/laguardia-airport-renovations-4-billion-2015-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/9-home-improvements-you-should-always-negotiate-2015-69 home improvements you should always negotiatehttp://www.businessinsider.com/9-home-improvements-you-should-always-negotiate-2015-6
Mon, 29 Jun 2015 10:16:17 -0400Tim Lemke
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/558da73069bedd9e5adaa49b-600-/painting-house-renovating-1.jpg" border="0" alt="painting house renovating" width="600"></p><p>Contractors aren't easy to haggle with. You can't negotiate the price of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wisebread.com/8-diy-backyard-home-improvements-that-save-you-big">home improvements</a>&nbsp;in the same way you can with car salesmen. But that doesn't mean you're locked in to whatever the contractor first says.</p>
<p>When negotiating the cost of home improvements, it helps to start off with a solid idea of what you want to pay. Be honest about your budget, and your contractor will do his or her best to complete the project accordingly.</p>
<p>If they can't meet your price exactly, then you can examine where some cost savings lie. Perhaps you don't need the high-end granite countertops, after all. Maybe you can do the painting later on your own. If you show flexibility on your end, the contractor may show some flexibility on theirs.</p>
<p>Here's a look at some of the home improvement jobs that might offer opportunity for price negotiations.</p>
<h3>1. Anything big</h3>
<p>The larger the job, the more ability you have to negotiate. Contractors want big jobs and know they can lead to additional work down the road, so they're not going to walk away from a project over a few dollars here and there.</p>
<p>When my family hired someone to build an addition to our house, we saved several thousand dollars by haggling over the final cost in advance. We chatted about the cost of every aspect of the project, and were able to find savings in a variety of areas, from the windows to the carpeting and the type of deck stain. The key is to discuss the total cost beforehand and make sure everything is outlined in a contract so there are no surprises.</p>
<h3>2. Jobs that your neighbors are considering</h3>
<p>If you're getting a new roof installed and you know that your next-door neighbor needs a new roof as well, use that as leverage. If you can promise to give your contractor's name to your neighbor, the contractor might be willing to knock off a few dollars from your price. Some contractors even promise discounts if you give them future business through referrals.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/558da795eab8ea041bdaa49f-1200-600/remodel-renovation-5.jpg" border="0" alt="remodel renovation"></p>
<h3>3. Any job where you are getting multiple bids</h3>
<p>If a contractor knows you're seeking bids from other contractors, he will be more inclined to be flexible on cost. This usually works for larger jobs — you're not going to get 10 bids for a clogged drain, for instance — but also be prepared to humbly come back to the contractor if the other bids aren't any lower.</p>
<h3>4. Jobs that you can complete yourself</h3>
<p>Let's say a contractor is building you a new deck. Are you willing to paint or stain the deck yourself after it's constructed? If a plumber had to cut a hole in the ceiling to fix a pipe, can you replace the drywall later on your own? Figuring out what you can do yourself can help reduce the price of any job.</p>
<h3>5. Winter jobs</h3>
<p>Many contractors will find themselves busy as bees during the spring and summer months, but twiddling their thumbs in the cold months of winter. That's because many homeowners never consider improvement projects until the weather is nice. Contractors may be more flexible on price if they aren't as busy, and you may find that they can do the work sooner for you as well.</p>
<p><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/558da7d0ecad040b68daa49d-1000-500/home-remodeling-4.jpg" border="0" alt="home remodeling"></p>
<h3>6. Jobs where you are not picky</h3>
<p>The more particular you are, the less negotiating flexibility you have. If you can relax on certain aspects of a project, you may save money. Perhaps you're not too concerned about getting top-of-the-line carpeting in a room that doesn't get much foot traffic. Perhaps you don't need as many electrical outlets in a family room as you first thought. Negotiating is a two-way street, so know where your flexibility lies.</p>
<h3>7. Bundled jobs</h3>
<p>Last year, my family had contractors handle a number of repairs. They were unrelated jobs, but we were able to save some money by convincing the contractor to think of them as part of a single project. A contractor can save money on labor costs by working on several projects at once, and may also be able to save on bulk purchases of materials. (See also:<a href="http://www.wisebread.com/save-time-money-and-hassle-by-bundling-your-home-repairs?ref=seealso">Save Time, Money, and Hassle by Bundling Your Home Repairs</a>)</p>
<h3>8. Jobs that don't require materials</h3>
<p>Sometimes, you can get a contractor to perform extra small jobs that require nothing more than a little extra sweat on their part. For instance, if they are at your home for a major renovation, then maybe they will be willing to power wash the exterior of your house (it helps if you provide the power washer), clean out your gutters, or trim some tree branches.</p>
<p>During a recent big project at my house, a contractor took the time to label the switches on my circuit breaker box at no extra charge. These might be jobs that take very little time, require no extra expense on their part, and can be squeezed in while workers are on a job site anyway.</p>
<h3>9. The kind you can pay for in full early</h3>
<p>Contractors, like all people, love getting paid for their work. In most cases, they will not ask for full payment until a job is complete. But they may be willing to offer a discount if they can get the majority of funds early on. This requires some trust on your part, and you should withhold at least some payment until a job is complete. But if you show that you're able to pay promptly, contractors may show their appreciation with some price flexibility.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-renovation-mistake-2014-12" >Here's The Most Common Renovation Mistake, According To An HGTV Host</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/9-home-improvements-you-should-always-negotiate-2015-6#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-air-force-one-tour-boeing-private-jet-2015-5">Take a tour of the $367 million jet that will soon be called Air Force One</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-renovation-mistake-2014-12Here's The Most Common Renovation Mistake, According To An HGTV Hosthttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-renovation-mistake-2014-12
Sat, 03 Jan 2015 10:30:00 -0500Business Insider
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54a1829decad04182b3afd03-600-/matt-blashaw-hgtv-2jpg.jpg" border="0" alt="matt blashaw hgtv 2.JPG" width="600"></p><p>Renovating a home can add a lot of value — but not if you get overwhelmed and leave it half-finished.</p>
<p>As the host of "Vacation House For Free," Matt Blashaw puts his experience as a contractor and real-estate expert to work renovating fixer-uppers into retreats worth renting out when the family isn't in residence.</p>
<p>If you're renovating — whether DIY-style or with a professional team — Blashaw cautions against making the most common mistake he sees: taking on too much at once.</p>
<p>"I see it all the time," he tells Business Insider. "People take on way more than they can chew. The whole house is ripped up and everyone feels out of place."</p>
<p>In the case of a vacation home, especially, it's smart to recognize the limitations. "You're not going to be there like in your regular house," Blashaw says. "You only have weekends to do it."</p>
<p>Instead, he recommends taking on small projects one at a time and finishing them completely before moving on to the next. Of course, depending on the scale of your renovation, "small" might mean kitchen cabinets, or it might mean the entire master bathroom.</p>
<p>You might also want to prioritize your projects depending on how you'll use the home. </p>
<p>"The rule of standard suburban houses is kitchen is king, then bathrooms, then bedrooms," <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-house-for-free-2014-12">he says</a>.</p>
<p>"In vacation rentals, I think it's a little different," he continues. "Bathrooms can be overlooked as long as they're clean and fresh and functional. You need to put money in the decor in the living room, in the furniture to make it comfortable and cater to possibly multiple families with a ton of seating and dining space."</p>
<p>Whatever the scale, Blashaw says that checking smaller tasks off your list "creates a sense of positivity and confidence, and then you can move on to the next thing."</p>
<h3><strong><br>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-raise-happy-siblings-2014-12">The Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Raising Siblings</a></strong></h3>
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<p class="embed-spacer"></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-house-for-free-2014-12" >An HGTV Host Explains How To Get Your Own 'Vacation House For Free'</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-renovation-mistake-2014-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-renovation-mistake-2014-12Here's The Most Common Renovation Mistake, According To An HGTV Hosthttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-renovation-mistake-2014-12
Tue, 30 Dec 2014 10:17:00 -0500Libby Kane
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54a1829decad04182b3afd03-600-/matt-blashaw-hgtv-2jpg.jpg" alt="matt blashaw hgtv 2.JPG" border="0" width="600"></p><p>Renovating a home can add a lot of value — but not if you get overwhelmed and leave it half-finished.</p>
<p>As the host of "Vacation House For Free," Matt Blashaw puts his experience as a contractor and real-estate expert to work renovating fixer-uppers into retreats worth renting out when the family isn't in residence.</p>
<p>If you're renovating — whether DIY-style or with a professional team — Blashaw cautions against making the most common mistake he sees: taking on too much at once.</p>
<p>"I see it all the time," he tells Business Insider. "People take on way more than they can chew. The whole house is ripped up and everyone feels out of place."</p>
<p>In the case of a vacation home, especially, it's smart to recognize the limitations. "You're not going to be there like in your regular house," Blashaw says. "You only have weekends to do it."</p>
<p>Instead, he recommends taking on small projects one at a time and finishing them completely before moving on to the next. Of course, depending on the scale of your renovation, "small" might mean kitchen cabinets, or it might mean the entire master bathroom.</p>
<p>You might also want to prioritize your projects depending on how you'll use the home. </p>
<p>"The rule of standard suburban houses is kitchen is king, then bathrooms, then bedrooms," <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-house-for-free-2014-12">he says</a>.</p>
<p>"In vacation rentals, I think it's a little different," he continues. "Bathrooms can be overlooked as long as they're clean and fresh and functional. You need to put money in the decor in the living room, in the furniture to make it comfortable and cater to possibly multiple families with a ton of seating and dining space."</p>
<p>Whatever the scale, Blashaw says that checking smaller tasks off your list "creates a sense of positivity and confidence, and then you can move on to the next thing."</p>
<h3><strong><br>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-raise-happy-siblings-2014-12">The Biggest Mistakes Parents Make When Raising Siblings</a></strong></h3>
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<p class="embed-spacer"> </p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-house-for-free-2014-12" >An HGTV Host Explains How To Get Your Own 'Vacation House For Free'</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-renovation-mistake-2014-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-house-for-free-2014-12An HGTV Host Explains How To Get Your Own 'Vacation House For Free'http://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-house-for-free-2014-12
Sun, 28 Dec 2014 13:30:00 -0500Business Insider
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54985e02ecad0431757c3bbd-600-/matt-blashaw-hgtvjpg.jpg" alt="matt blashaw hgtv.JPG" border="0" width="600"></p><p>HGTV host Matt Blashaw thinks the chief appeal of a vacation home is its convenience.</p>
<p>"It's an easy vacation," he explains. "The point is just to go have everything set up the way you want. You know the area, and you know you're going to have fun."</p>
<p>The vacation may be easy, but the second mortgage probably isn't.</p>
<p>For that reason, Blashaw helps families on his show, "<a href="http://www.hgtv.com/shows/vacation-house-for-free">Vacation House For Free</a>," renovate under-the-weather homes into retreats worth renting out when the family isn't in residence.</p>
<p>Of course, no house is actually free, but by earning money on the home when it would otherwise be vacant, homeowners can essentially get a vacation house that pays for itself.</p>
<p>"You're contributing to your wealth and your future," Blashaw says, "not throwing your money away on Hilton and Marriott. You're building equity in what I think is the best investment anyone can have, which is real estate. Plus, people want to have a place they can retire to, so it's a win-win."</p>
<p>It's not quite as easy as it sounds, especially if you've never undertaken a renovation. Here, Blashaw provides his top tips for turning your vacation home into a free home.</p>
<h3>Buy in a popular location.</h3>
<p>Sure, homes are cheaper in under-the-radar locations, but if no one wants to go there, no one will want to rent your house. "The idea of the house is you want to be able to find a vacation home in a place that people want to go to," explains Blashaw. "You want it to be popular. We've been to Cape Cod, Long Beach Island, Maine, the Florida Keys, Lake Tahoe."</p>
<h3>Choose a town that's relatively easy to get to.</h3>
<p>Bora Bora might be a great place to take a vacation, but it's a little remote for a vacation home. "The thing I've been noticing with the show is that people want to take a vacation close to home," Blashaw says, "typically within a couple hours drive. I think that's simply because trying to put a family on a plane is a nightmare."</p>
<h3>Realize that you might not be able to use it during the high season.</h3>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54985f38eab8ea0a48371e78-1154-865/ski-cabin-1.jpg" alt="ski cabin" border="0" width="600">Depending on your area, Blashaw says, there might be a busy season of 10-16 weeks — and you might need to rent during that time. "People have to be OK with not being there during the season," cautions Blashaw.</p>
<p>"You can get the most weekly rental rate and the most people desiring the property. Your vacation home isn't for free unless you have people in it!" he says. There's a bright side, however: "A lot of people who own vacation homes don't even want to be there in the high season because it's so crowded."</p>
<h3>Scout the most popular local rentals.</h3>
<p>Figure out what renters in the area want, so you can give it to them. "If you're looking in an area you want to buy a vacation home, go tour the house that's a really popular rental," recommends Blashaw. "What makes it so popular? Proximity to the beach or water activities? How it's decorated? The kitchen? See what they did to find out what renters in those areas want, then take those ideas and put them into your rental. Make sure you know what rents out all the time so your house will rent out all the time."</p>
<p>Blashaw notes that you can check listings online at sites like VRBO to see which houses tend to be booked solid, then call the property managers to schedule a tour — or even just go through their photos.</p>
<h3>Do the math.</h3>
<p>Your vacation home isn't free if you're not earning enough to offset the money you put into it. Blashaw recommends calculating the carrying cost, mortgage, taxes, utilities, insurance, and any other costs on an annual basis.</p>
<p>"Then you need to renovate and figure out how many weeks you need to rent at x dollars to have your vacation house for free," Blashaw explains.</p>
<h3>Don't think you have to renovate the whole place.</h3>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/549860b6eab8ea5851371e76-1154-865/lake-tahoe-porch-lake-1.jpg" alt="lake tahoe porch lake" border="0" width="600">While you might be tempted to gut the place, Blashaw recommends being mindful about your renovation and starting with the highest priority areas.</p>
<p>"The rule of standard suburban houses is kitchen is king, then bathrooms, then bedrooms," he says.</p>
<p>"In vacation rentals, I think it's a little different. Bathrooms can be overlooked as long as they're clean and fresh and functional. You need to put money in the decor in the living room, in the furniture to make it comfortable and cater to possibly multiple families with a ton of seating and dining space."</p>
<p>And if you're pressed for time (or money), Blashaw has one particular recommendation: "When people walk into a place, they want it to be fresh and clean," he says. "Nothing will make a space seem cleaner and fresher a than a coat of paint."</p>
<h3>Plan to make renters' lives as easy as possible.</h3>
<p>Once your house is in renting shape, your priority is to fill it — and that can be as easy as putting up a listing on <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/">Airbnb</a>, <a href="http://www.vrbo.com/">VRBO</a>, or <a href="http://www.homeaway.com/">Homeaway</a>.</p>
<p>Blashaw says that by making your house a pleasure to visit, you can ensure repeat renters. "I tell people, 'If you're by the beach, make it so that your renters don't have to do anything but buy groceries and sit in the house.' Buy a beach wagon, a paddle board, give them a list of restaurants and things they can do. You want your property to be a destination for them every year just like it is for you. I know couples now who don't even have to market their properties anymore because they have ongoing rental agreements. You have to give them a reason to come back."</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/salary-needed-to-buy-home-2014-12" >Here's The Salary You Have To Earn To Buy A Home In 15 Major US Cities</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-house-for-free-2014-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-house-for-free-2014-12An HGTV Host Explains How To Get Your Own 'Vacation House For Free'http://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-house-for-free-2014-12
Fri, 26 Dec 2014 12:00:00 -0500Libby Kane
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54985e02ecad0431757c3bbd-600-/matt-blashaw-hgtvjpg.jpg" border="0" alt="matt blashaw hgtv.JPG" width="600"></p><p>HGTV host Matt Blashaw thinks the chief appeal of a vacation home is its convenience.</p>
<p>"It's an easy vacation," he explains. "The point is just to go have everything set up the way you want. You know the area, and you know you're going to have fun."</p>
<p>The vacation may be easy, but the second mortgage probably isn't.</p>
<p>For that reason, Blashaw helps families on his show, "<a href="http://www.hgtv.com/shows/vacation-house-for-free">Vacation House For Free</a>," renovate under-the-weather homes into retreats worth renting out when the family isn't in residence.</p>
<p>Of course, no house is actually free, but by earning money on the home when it would otherwise be vacant, homeowners can essentially get a vacation house that pays for itself.</p>
<p>"You're contributing to your wealth and your future," Blashaw says, "not throwing your money away on Hilton and Marriott. You're building equity in what I think is the best investment anyone can have, which is real estate. Plus, people want to have a place they can retire to, so it's a win-win."</p>
<p>It's not quite as easy as it sounds, especially if you've never undertaken a renovation. Here, Blashaw provides his top tips for turning your vacation home into a free home.</p>
<h3>Buy in a popular location.</h3>
<p>Sure, homes are cheaper in under-the-radar locations, but if no one wants to go there, no one will want to rent your house. "The idea of the house is you want to be able to find a vacation home in a place that people want to go to," explains Blashaw. "You want it to be popular. We've been to Cape Cod, Long Beach Island, Maine, the Florida Keys, Lake Tahoe."</p>
<h3>Choose a town that's relatively easy to get to.</h3>
<p>Bora Bora might be a great place to take a vacation, but it's a little remote for a vacation home. "The thing I've been noticing with the show is that people want to take a vacation close to home," Blashaw says, "typically within a couple hours drive. I think that's simply because trying to put a family on a plane is a nightmare."</p>
<h3>Realize that you might not be able to use it during the high season.</h3>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54985f38eab8ea0a48371e78-1154-865/ski-cabin-1.jpg" border="0" alt="ski cabin" width="600">Depending on your area, Blashaw says, there might be a busy season of 10-16 weeks — and you might need to rent during that time. "People have to be OK with not being there during the season," cautions Blashaw.</p>
<p>"You can get the most weekly rental rate and the most people desiring the property. Your vacation home isn't for free unless you have people in it!" he says. There's a bright side, however: "A lot of people who own vacation homes don't even want to be there in the high season because it's so crowded."</p>
<h3>Scout the most popular local rentals.</h3>
<p>Figure out what renters in the area want, so you can give it to them. "If you're looking in an area you want to buy a vacation home, go tour the house that's a really popular rental," recommends Blashaw. "What makes it so popular? Proximity to the beach or water activities? How it's decorated? The kitchen? See what they did to find out what renters in those areas want, then take those ideas and put them into your rental. Make sure you know what rents out all the time so your house will rent out all the time."</p>
<p>Blashaw notes that you can check listings online at sites like VRBO to see which houses tend to be booked solid, then call the property managers to schedule a tour — or even just go through their photos.</p>
<h3>Do the math.</h3>
<p>Your vacation home isn't free if you're not earning enough to offset the money you put into it. Blashaw recommends calculating the carrying cost, mortgage, taxes, utilities, insurance, and any other costs on an annual basis.</p>
<p>"Then you need to renovate and figure out how many weeks you need to rent at x dollars to have your vacation house for free," Blashaw explains.</p>
<h3>Don't think you have to renovate the whole place.</h3>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/549860b6eab8ea5851371e76-1154-865/lake-tahoe-porch-lake-1.jpg" border="0" alt="lake tahoe porch lake" width="600">While you might be tempted to gut the place, Blashaw recommends being mindful about your renovation and starting with the highest priority areas.</p>
<p>"The rule of standard suburban houses is kitchen is king, then bathrooms, then bedrooms," he says.</p>
<p>"In vacation rentals, I think it's a little different. Bathrooms can be overlooked as long as they're clean and fresh and functional. You need to put money in the decor in the living room, in the furniture to make it comfortable and cater to possibly multiple families with a ton of seating and dining space."</p>
<p>And if you're pressed for time (or money), Blashaw has one particular recommendation: "When people walk into a place, they want it to be fresh and clean," he says. "Nothing will make a space seem cleaner and fresher a than a coat of paint."</p>
<h3>Plan to make renters' lives as easy as possible.</h3>
<p>Once your house is in renting shape, your priority is to fill it — and that can be as easy as putting up a listing on <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/">Airbnb</a>, <a href="http://www.vrbo.com/">VRBO</a>, or <a href="http://www.homeaway.com/">Homeaway</a>.</p>
<p>Blashaw says that by making your house a pleasure to visit, you can ensure repeat renters. "I tell people, 'If you're by the beach, make it so that your renters don't have to do anything but buy groceries and sit in the house.' Buy a beach wagon, a paddle board, give them a list of restaurants and things they can do. You want your property to be a destination for them every year just like it is for you. I know couples now who don't even have to market their properties anymore because they have ongoing rental agreements. You have to give them a reason to come back."</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/salary-needed-to-buy-home-2014-12" >Here's The Salary You Have To Earn To Buy A Home In 15 Major US Cities</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vacation-house-for-free-2014-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/micro-apartment-in-manhattan-2014-12Architects Turned A Cramped Little Loft Into A Dream Homehttp://www.businessinsider.com/micro-apartment-in-manhattan-2014-12
Tue, 09 Dec 2014 11:52:00 -0500Business Insider
<p><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/539b3cc5eab8ea936ef6f6f3-1200-900/untitled-1-695.jpg" border="0" alt="Untitled 1"></p><p>New York City is chock-full of laughably small, awkwardly shaped apartments. Which is why i<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">t takes a good imagination to not only make them livable but actually desirable. </span></p>
<p>The designers at <a href="http://www.spechtharpman.com/residential/west_73rd_street_residence.php">Specht Harpman Architects</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> recently worked wonders on a <a href="http://design-milk.com/manhattan-micro-loft-by-specht-harpman-architects/">425-square-foot loft</a> on the Upper West Side.<br></span></p>
<p><span>The space, at the top of a six-story brownstone, had 25 feet of vertical space and even access to a rooftop, giving the architects plenty to work with.</span></p>
<p><span>Check out the photos below to see the new microloft.</span></p>
<h3>This was the space before. It was run down, with exposed brick walls and dated paint.<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5399d9ac69bedd31655241b1-768-1024/micro%20loft%20before%2002.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #000000;">
</h3>
<h3>
<strong>The small space didn't have much room for storage.</strong><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5399d9fb6bb3f7a05abd071c-768-1024/micro%20loft%20before%2003.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="color: #000000;">The architects' solution was to create multilevel “living platforms" in order to squeeze everything in, but still make the space feel open.<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5399d527ecad043646ff6c0e-1200-1200/02%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;">One of their goals was to create a flowing interior "that dissolves the notion of distinct 'rooms.'"<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5399d56c6bb3f7b251bd071b-1200-858/05%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;">A cantilevered bed on steel beams floats over the main living space on the third floor.<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5399d6f5eab8ea7c42b89490-1200-800/07%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;">And the tiny bathroom is tucked beneath the stairs ...<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5399d7536bb3f7a55abd071a-1200-1500/03%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">... which now offer a ton of storage space. They feature built-in drawers and shelves, </strong>similar to Japanese kaidan dansu. <img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5399db136bb3f72b67bd071e-1200-800/06b%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft" style="line-height: 1.5em;">The roof garden at the top allows light to radiate throughout the apartment.<strong style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </strong><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5399d7b269beddc8645241b0-978-1455/09%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pretty impressive. It's hard to tell that this was still the same apartment.<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5399d9c769bedd31655241b5-768-1024/micro%20loft%20before%2001.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;">Compare it again to the new space:<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5399e6106bb3f70413bd0718-1200-1334/01%20micro%20loft%20rendering.jpg" border="0" alt="Micro Loft Rendering" style="line-height: 1.5em;">
</h3>
<p class="p1">Job well done.<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<p class="p1"><em><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Alyson Penn wrote an earlier version of this post.</span></em></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/i-lived-in-a-tiny-house-2014-8" >I Spent 3 Days In A 'Tiny House' With My Mom To See What Micro-Living Is All About</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/businessinsider/" >Business Insider is on Pinterest</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/micro-apartment-in-manhattan-2014-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/425-square-feet-manhattan-micro-loft-2014-6Architects Turned A Tiny 425-Square-Foot Loft Into A Dream Homehttp://www.businessinsider.com/425-square-feet-manhattan-micro-loft-2014-6
Fri, 13 Jun 2014 14:03:00 -0400Alyson Penn
<p><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/539b3cc5eab8ea936ef6f6f3-1200-900/untitled-1-695.jpg" border="0" alt="Untitled 1"></p><p>New York City is chock-full of laughably small, awkwardly shaped apartments. Which is why i<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">t takes a good imagination to not only make them livable but actually desirable. </span></p>
<p>The designers at <a href="http://www.spechtharpman.com/residential/west_73rd_street_residence.php">Specht Harpman Architects</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> recently worked wonders on a <a href="http://design-milk.com/manhattan-micro-loft-by-specht-harpman-architects/">425-square-foot loft</a> on the Upper West Side.<br></span></p>
<p><span>The space, at the top of a six-story brownstone, has 25 feet of vertical space and even access to a rooftop <span>—</span> giving them plenty to work with.</span></p>
<p><span>Check out the photos below to see the new micro-loft.</span></p>
<p><strong>This was the space before. It was run down, with exposed brick walls and dated paint.</strong><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5399d9ac69bedd31655241b1-768-1024/micro%20loft%20before%2002.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #000000;"></p>
<p><strong>For such a small space, it didn't have much room for storage.</strong><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5399d9fb6bb3f7a05abd071c-768-1024/micro%20loft%20before%2003.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="color: #000000;"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">The architects' solution was to create multi-level “living platforms" in order to squeeze everything in but still make it feel open.</strong><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5399d527ecad043646ff6c0e-1200-1200/02%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">One of their goals was to create a flowing interior "that dissolves the notion of distinct 'rooms.'"</strong><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5399d56c6bb3f7b251bd071b-1200-858/05%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">A cantilevered bed on steel beams floats over the main living space on the third floor.</strong><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5399d6f5eab8ea7c42b89490-1200-800/07%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">And the tiny bathroom is tucked beneath the stairs.</strong><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5399d7536bb3f7a55abd071a-1200-1500/03%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">Which now have a ton of storage space. They feature built-in drawers and shelves, similar to Japanese kaidan dansu. </strong><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5399db136bb3f72b67bd071e-1200-800/06b%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft" style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">The roof garden at the top allows light to radiate throughout the apartment. </strong><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5399d7b269beddc8645241b0-978-1455/09%20micro%20loft%20photo-taggart%20sorensen.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">Pretty impressive. </strong><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">It's hard to tell that this was still the same apartment.</strong><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5399d9c769bedd31655241b5-768-1024/micro%20loft%20before%2001.jpg" border="0" alt="Manhattan Micro Loft " style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">Compare it again to the new space:</strong><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5399e6106bb3f70413bd0718-1200-1334/01%20micro%20loft%20rendering.jpg" border="0" alt="Micro Loft Rendering" style="line-height: 1.5em;"></p>
<p class="p1">Job well done.<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<h3 class="p1"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br><strong>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ty-warner-expensive-penthouse-2014-4">America's Most Expensive Hotel Room Costs $45,000 A Night — And It's Non-Negotiable</a></strong></span></h3>
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<p class="p1"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/most-expensive-homes-for-sale-in-nyc-2014-6" >The 10 Most Expensive Homes For Sale In New York City</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/businessinsider/" >Business Insider is on Pinterest</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/425-square-feet-manhattan-micro-loft-2014-6#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/cheap-ways-to-renovate-kitchen-500-2014-54 Tricks To Transform Your Kitchen For Under $500http://www.businessinsider.com/cheap-ways-to-renovate-kitchen-500-2014-5
Wed, 28 May 2014 14:37:00 -0400Libby Kane
<p>According to the website&nbsp;<a href="http://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2014/" target="_blank">Remodeling</a>, the average "minor" kitchen renovation will set you back over $18,000.</p>
<p>But over at <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/kitchen-remodel-makeovers-20-great-transformations-for-every-budget-203286" target="_blank">Apartment Therapy</a>, readers are renovating their kitchens for as little as $500 &mdash; and some for even less than that.</p>
<p>Sure, they might not include brand new appliances and imported marble countertops, but a quick look at the pictures below shows how far a little cash can go. Check out four of their newly revamped kitchens for tips on how to give your own a budget-friendly upgrade.</p>
<h3>1. Switch up your countertops with cheap rolls of vinyl.</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-amp-after-rental-kitchen-in-new-zealand-gets-a-stylish-upgrade-for-under-50-blackbird-200174" target="_blank">Gem from the blog Blackbird</a> turned around her rental apartment's kitchen in Auckland, New Zealand, with some leftover paint, second-hand drawer handles, and rolls of vinyl she bought for only $3 each to cover the dark counters. Less than $50 later, here's the difference it makes:&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/537fc26feab8eaa36ed3ee92-800-360/kitchen-makeover-1.jpg" border="0" alt="kitchen makeover 1" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>2. A simple coat of paint can rejuvenate old cabinets.</h3>
<p>Kerri of Australian blog Driftwood Interiors explained to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-and-after-kerris-countr-118281" target="_blank">Apartment Therapy</a> that the bulk of her renovation's bill &mdash; which was under $500 &mdash; went to new cabinet hardware, but that her most expensive upgrade wasn't the one that made the most impact. "<span>Most of my friends thought I&rsquo;d replaced the kitchen, or at least all of the doors," she told the site. "They didn&rsquo;t believe they were the same ones, just painted white."</span></p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/537fc29269bedd2417d3ee92-796-399/kitchen-makeover-2.jpg" border="0" alt="kitchen makeover 2" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>3. Use white to open up small spaces.</h3>
<p>Architectural designer Teddy of Theodore Robert&nbsp;upgraded the New York City kitchen below in only a day, for $300. He went with a nearly monochromatic white color scheme to reflect light and minimize visual clutter. "In small spaces I tend to gravitate towards clean lines and less visual noise," he told <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-after-a-cramped-kitchen-gets-a-big-change-201014" target="_blank">Apartment Therapy</a>. "You don't want to overwhelm a kitchen with too many colors."&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/537fc2c6eab8ea436ed3ee9a-788-360/kitchen-makeover-3.jpg" border="0" alt="kitchen makeover 3" /></p>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>4. Clean up the details to brighten the whole room.</h3>
<p>It's hard to put your finger on the improvements <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-and-after-cathys-276-ki-106435" target="_blank">Cathy from Santa Rosa, California</a>, made in her kitchen, but we'll give you a hint: Look at the floor. By dying the grout between her tiles white, repainting her cabinets, and swapping her drawer pulls and hinges for new ones, Cathy gave her kitchen a quick refresh for only $276.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/537fc2e66bb3f71957d3ee97-800-327/kitchen-makeover-4.jpg" border="0" alt="kitchen makeover 4" /></p>
<p>You can see more kitchen renovation ideas &mdash; for every budget &mdash; at <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/kitchen-remodel-makeovers-20-great-transformations-for-every-budget-203286" target="_blank">Apartment Therapy</a>.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-remodel-a-kitchen-2013-7" >There's A Reason The Kitchen Is The Toughest Room To Renovate</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cheap-ways-to-renovate-kitchen-500-2014-5#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/tavern-on-the-green-is-back-open-for-business-2014-4New York's Iconic Tavern On The Green Reopens With A Completely New Vibehttp://www.businessinsider.com/tavern-on-the-green-is-back-open-for-business-2014-4
Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:26:25 -0400Alyson Penn
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5356dfc369bedd876738394c-1200-924/tavern-on-the-green-south-wing.jpg" border="0" alt="Tavern on the Green South Wing " style="color: #000000; line-height: 1.5em;" />Two years and $20 million dollars later, Central Park's&nbsp;<a href="http://tavernonthegreen.com/">Tavern on the Green</a>&nbsp;officially re-opens for business tomorrow.</span></p>
<p>The nearly <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/16/dining/tavern-on-the-green-sparkles-again.html?_r=0">150-year-old landmark</a>&nbsp;received an understated and sophisticated makeover <span>by new owners Jim Caiola and David Salama.&nbsp;</span>Instead of the restaurant's old glitzy Crystal Room, there's the elegant and airy <a href="http://gothamist.com/2014/04/21/tavern_on_the_green_1.php#photo-1">Central Park Room</a>, a dark-wood bar room, casual south wing, 300-seat courtyard, and 110-seat garden area.&nbsp;<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5356df96eab8eae9159307a5-1200-924/tavern-on-the-green-central-park-room.jpg" border="0" alt="Tavern on the Green Central Park Room" width="742" height="556" style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #000000;" /><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The new Tavern is intended to appeal to New Yorkers, not just tourists. Its rustic menu </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">by chef Katy Sparks&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">features locally sourced items, and the space is significantly smaller than the sprawling original, </span><a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304049904579515903905670562">according to The Wall Street Journal</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">.</span></p>
<p>The iconic restaurant, which originally opened in 1870 to house Central Park's sheep before turning into a restaurant in 1934, closed in 2009 after it filed for bankruptcy.<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5356df5b6da8117069c470c5-1200-924/bar-room-tavern-on-the-green.jpg" border="0" alt="Bar room Tavern on the Green" style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #000000;" /><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Though we'll have to wait until May for lunch and brunch, Tavern's "rustic" </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">dinner menu&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">items like "</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Marinated Vermont Quail" for $30, "Faroe Island Salmon," for $29, and "Blistered Citrus and Legumes Salad" for $14.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span>The restaurant is located on 67th street and Central Park West, with dinner hours from 5 PM to 1 AM.</span></span></span></span><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5356df2969bedd7d59383956-1200-924/tavern-on-the-green.jpg" border="0" alt="Tavern on the Green" width="800" style="line-height: 1.5em;" /></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-jiro-dreams-of-sushi-2014-4" >Obama Is Eating At The Legendary 'Jiro Dreams Of Sushi' Restaurant</a></strong></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tavern-on-the-green-is-back-open-for-business-2014-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/bishop-of-bling-spends-42-million-on-official-residence-2013-10German 'Bishop Of Bling' Spent A Reported $42 Million On His Official Residencehttp://www.businessinsider.com/bishop-of-bling-spends-42-million-on-official-residence-2013-10
Mon, 21 Oct 2013 13:29:00 -0400Paige Cooperstein
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5265592aecad04c458baa398-480-/bischoffranz-petertebartz-vanelst.jpg" border="0" alt="Bischof_Franz Peter_Tebartz van_Elst" width="480" />The Bishop of Limburg in Germany has become the "Bishop of Bling" after touching up his official residence with things like a $20,000 bathtub and marble floors, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/pope-meets-bishop-bling-lavish-renovations/story?id=20631964">according to ABC News</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Bishop&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst has reportedly spent some $42 million on the overall renovation, which was initially expected to cost $7.5 million.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The Bishop had said</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;he needed millions in church funds because the work involved updating 10 buildings that had to be renovated according to historical preservation laws.&nbsp;<span>Now the Bishop is being accused of falsifying expense reports, and today met with&nbsp;</span><span>Pope Francis, who often preaches the value of a "poor" church.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">German prosecutors have also indicted <span>Tebartz-van Elst for perjury, regarding a case where he allegedly lied about traveling first-class to India last year for church meetings, according to ABC.</span></span></p>
<p>The bishop's actions are particularly damaging the reputation of the Church in the wake of its sexual abuse scandal, according to Christian Weisner, a member of the lay organization We Are the Church.</p>
<p>"This is really a very, very sad story," <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/International/pope-meets-bishop-bling-lavish-renovations/story?id=20631964">Weisner told ABC News</a>. "<span>The whole Catholic Church has lost its credibility."</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bishop-of-bling-spends-42-million-on-official-residence-2013-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/using-a-mortgage-to-renovate-your-home-2013-7How To Use A Mortgage To Renovate Your Shabby Househttp://www.businessinsider.com/using-a-mortgage-to-renovate-your-home-2013-7
Sat, 20 Jul 2013 09:36:00 -0400Clay Wyatt
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/51e81277eab8ea4f29000028-480-/renovation.jpg" border="0" alt="renovation" width="480" /></p><p>In some parts of the United States, homes tend to be very old. With that comes wear and tear along with obsolescence. And, with the surge in home improvement shows this century, Americans are increasingly eager to remodel their bathrooms, kitchens and more.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, home improvement isn&rsquo;t free. Materials must be purchased and, in many cases, contractors must be paid. As such,&nbsp;home improvement loans&nbsp;are often in order.<span id="more-253482"></span></p>
<p>How can you use a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gobankingrates.com/mortgage-rates/" title="mortgage loan">mortgage loan</a>&nbsp;to renovate your shabby house and turn it into the home of your dreams?</p>
<h3>Traditional Borrowing Options for Home Improvement Loans</h3>
<p>If you decided to reenact the movie&nbsp;Cast Away&nbsp;for the past few years, I have some bad news: there was a major financial crisis with a load of banking scandals including bad home loans and other money mischief. Borrowing is more difficult than it used to be.</p>
<p>Still, traditional lending options may be at your disposal.</p>
<p>The first option is a home equity loan. This is a lump sum loan taken against the value of your home which is paid back via monthly installments. However, as Greg Cook, senior loan officer at Platinum Home Mortgage in Temecula, California notes, &ldquo;that option has been pretty much non-existent since most lenders got out of that market when values tanked beginning in 2007-08.&rdquo;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
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</ul>
</div>
<p>A close cousin of the home equity loan is the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gobankingrates.com/mortgage-rates/home-equity-line/" title="home equity line of credit (HELOC)">home equity line of credit (HELOC)</a>. As with a home equity loan, a HELOC is taken against the value of your home. As Cook mentions, HELOCs &ldquo;work well for renovations because a homeowner only repays for the portion of the line that he/she uses.&rdquo; In other words, a HELOC is similar to a credit card in that you only repay the amount you borrow.</p>
<p>But, Cook cautions that, since HELOCs are equity-based, &ldquo;Most homeowners don&rsquo;t have enough equity to get one and they&rsquo;re based on current value.&rdquo; Consequently, you&rsquo;ll only be able to borrow what you&rsquo;ve paid into the house so far, not the entire value or more.</p>
<h3>Consider a HomePath Renovation Mortgage Loan</h3>
<p>What is&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gobankingrates.com/mortgage-rates/fannie-mae-homepath-program-incentives-foreclosed-properties/" title="HomePath Financing">HomePath financing</a>?</p>
<p>HomePath financing is available for Fannie Mae-owned properties. For purposes of renovations, you&rsquo;d want to look into a&nbsp;HomePath renovation mortgage loan. It includes benefits such as the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Relatively low down payment of three percent</li>
<li>Down payment can be funded by your savings, a loan from an employer or government agency, a gift or grant</li>
<li>Available for primary, second and investment homes</li>
<li>No mortgage insurance</li>
<li>Borrow up to $35,000 for renovations alone</li>
</ul>
<p>Check with your lender for specifics on the HomePath renovation loan process, whether you meet the&nbsp;HomePath renovation loan requirements&nbsp;and for&nbsp;home improvement loan rates.</p>
<h3>Finance a Home Purchase &amp; Renovation with a 203(k) Loan<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p>For those wondering&nbsp;how to finance a home purchase and renovations, a lesser-known but viable alternative is a 203(k) loan. According to Cook, &ldquo;A 203k allows a home buyer or homeowner to purchase/refinance a home and include the renovation costs up to 96.5% of the after-renovation value of a home. 203ks can be a great way for a homeowner to add equity to his current home or for a home buyer to purchase a home that is undervalued because of its condition and make it their own.&rdquo;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>For example, suppose you want to purchase a $200,000 home and make $35,000 worth of improvements. If you go with a FHA loan, the maximum amount you could borrow is $193,000, given the 3.5 percent down payment requirement. That would leave you with $42,000 in out-of-pocket expenses to both purchase and repair your new home.</p>
<p>However, if you secure a 203(k) loan, you could borrow up to $226,775 (96.5% of $235,000) and pay a more reasonable $8,225 out-of-pocket. Thus, with a 203(k) loan, you&rsquo;d be able to borrow more than the purchase value of your home, pay a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gobankingrates.com/mortgage-rates/how-to-get-no-low-down-payment-mortgage-loan/" title="lower mortgage down payment">lower mortgage down payment</a>&nbsp;and make the necessary repairs.</p>
<h3>Potential Drawbacks to Borrowing for Home Renovations</h3>
<p>Borrowing money to finance home renovations can pay off handsomely in the form of having a nicer home to live in. However, most homeowners recoup 60 to 90 percent of their renovations expenses upon sale, meaning the cost of renovating typically exceeds the gain in resale value.</p>
<p>Also, consider that, since you will take on additional debt, your interest expenses will increase accordingly and home improvement loan rates may not provide the same competitive options as a traditional mortgage loan.</p>
<p>Additionally, not all&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gobankingrates.com/mortgage-rates/beyonce-inspired-bathroom-home-renovations-hurt-property-value/" title="home renovations">home renovations</a>&nbsp;are welcomed by future buyers. For example, real estate website Zillow.com&nbsp;suggests that over-the-top landscaping, Jacuzzis, swimming pools and other such features could turn away those who are not interested in dealing with the related upkeep or safety issues. So, unless you plan to live in this home forever, be careful about spending a lot of money on home improvements most buyers won&rsquo;t care for.</p>
<p>That said, if your home is currently in an uninhabitable condition or you&rsquo;ve tried to sell it without any luck, borrowing money to fix it up may be necessary. With this in mind, note that, according to a 2012 report by The National Association of Realtors and&nbsp;Remodeling&nbsp;magazine, upgrades to doors, siding and windows are the three areas that pay off most (although they still cost more than the related increase in resale value). Such features boost curb-appeal, which naturally draws in more buyers. If you&rsquo;re looking to make some home improvements that will get as much money back as possible upon sale, those are the best areas of your home to target.</p>
<h3>Final Tips for Home Improvement &amp; Renovations</h3>
<p>For both home buyers and homeowners who are considering renovations, Cook offers these three tips:</p>
<ol>
<li>&ldquo;It will always cost more than you think&rdquo;</li>
<li>&nbsp;&ldquo;It will always take longer than you think&rdquo;</li>
<li>&nbsp;&ldquo;Plan accordingly!&rdquo;</li>
</ol><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/using-a-mortgage-to-renovate-your-home-2013-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-remodel-a-kitchen-2013-7There's A Reason The Kitchen Is The Toughest Room To Renovatehttp://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-remodel-a-kitchen-2013-7
Wed, 17 Jul 2013 12:01:00 -0400Elzy Kolb
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/51defd0eecad043f55000016-480-/kitchen-40.jpg" border="0" alt="kitchen" width="480" /></p><p>Kitchen remodeling sits at the top of many homeowners&rsquo; wish lists, and for good reason: If properly done, a renovation makes the kitchen more attractive, improves its efficiency and raises the resale price of your home.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, overhauling the kitchen is a complex job. There isn&rsquo;t a one-size-fits-all approach, and even skilled designers and veteran do-it-yourselfers can miss critical details. Mistakes are not only common. they are inevitable. You can, however, keep them to a minimum if you watch out for the following missteps.</p>
<h3>Set a budget</h3>
<p>If you&rsquo;re planning to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bobvila.com/articles/2447-planning-guide-kitchen-remodeling/pages/1" target="_blank" title="Kitchen Remodel Planning">renovate your kitchen</a>&nbsp;completely, be prepared to pay about 10 percent or 15 percent of your home&rsquo;s current value. That&rsquo;s no arbitrary percentage; it&rsquo;s a budget that ensures the quality of your improvements stays in line with your home&rsquo;s worth. Although spending too little is a concern, it&rsquo;s equally important to avoid overspending. Be sure to allow leeway for surprises. Who knows what plumbing or wiring nightmares lurk in the walls behind those old cabinets?</p>
<h3>Size matters</h3>
<p>Are the cooks in your household taller or shorter than average? Careful shopping and strategic design can make their lives much easier without making your kitchen overly specialized. For example, manufacturers recommend installing a hood 30 inches above the cooktop &mdash; in other words, right in the face of a 6-foot-tall cook. Luckily, there&rsquo;s a simple solution: Most hoods work just fine if mounted slightly higher. The lesson is that no matter how lovely something looks on the drawing board, you must account for the lifestyle and physical characteristics of the people who will actually be using the kitchen.</p>
<h3>Focus on lighting</h3>
<p>In the hardest-working room of your house, don&rsquo;t underestimate the benefits of living with neither shadows nor glare. Use a mix of fixtures to layer light of different types &mdash; ambient, task, accent and mood.</p>
<p>Recessed ceiling fixtures provide good overall light, while pendants and chandeliers are versatile choices for islands and dining areas. For kitchen work areas,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bobvila.com/motion-sensor-led/44270-under-cabinet-lighting-10-shining-examples/slideshows" target="_blank" title="Under-Cabinet Lighting">under-cabinet task lights</a>&nbsp;are popular, but you may wish to offset the reflectiveness of highly polished surfaces, like countertops, by choosing fixtures with diffusers or frosted glass.</p>
<p>Also important are your lighting controls. Install a separate, conveniently located switch for each light source, preferably near the doorway. Dimmers are excellent for modulating the strength of lighting according to the occasion or time of day.</p>
<h3>Indulge (some of) your whims</h3>
<p>Maybe you&rsquo;re right on top of the latest trends, or maybe you love bright colors. Remember, materials and colors that look fantastic in a sample-size swatch might very well appear over or underwhelming in a larger dose. Resist the temptation to go over the top with busy tile patterns or purple appliances. Instead, integrate the design elements you love as accents, not centerpieces.&nbsp;Otherwise, you run the risk of alienating&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bobvila.com/return-on-investment/34409-7-renovation-tips-to-boost-resale-value/slideshows" target="_blank" title="Renovation for Resale">future buyers</a>&nbsp;who don&rsquo;t happen to share your idiosyncratic style sense.</p>
<h3>Base choices on reality</h3>
<p>Who wouldn&rsquo;t want a big bay window? The question is whether it would work in your individual kitchen. A bay window shown overlooking a lake may look great in a catalog, but if you live on a busy street, it&rsquo;s likely you&rsquo;d regret giving in to your whim. Likewise, oversized professional appliances are swoon-worthy but not practical in a small, cozy kitchen. In short, don&rsquo;t lie to yourself!</p>
<h3>Lots of landing zones</h3>
<p>Include plenty of wide-open countertop space around each of your appliances. You know the feeling of removing a heavy, piping-hot pan from the stove, then finding there&rsquo;s no convenient place to set it down? Think about how you use appliances like the dishwasher, refrigerator and microwave, and adjust your kitchen design to suit your day-to-day habits.</p>
<h3>Island style</h3>
<p>These days, a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bobvila.com/seeing-double/11977-12-outstanding-kitchen-island-options/slideshows" target="_blank" title="Kitchen Island Options">kitchen island</a>&nbsp;is practically a must-have. But choose carefully &mdash; an oversized or poorly located island can block traffic and workflow. Allow sufficient space on all sides of the island, enough so that you can easily open cabinet doors. And, as you are making design decisions, remind yourself that the island, being of finite and usually modest size, cannot be a catchall. Adding a sink or cooktop to your island could eat up real estate you might like to have on hand for, say, casual dining.</p>
<h3>Don&rsquo;t forget the backsplash</h3>
<p>Oh, the wonders of a backsplash. It ties together disparate elements even as it creates a focal point. (Plus, it makes cleanup&nbsp;so&nbsp;much easier.) Some complain about the paralyzing, seemingly infinite number of choices, but stick with the selection process and you&rsquo;ll be amply rewarded. The best advice is to select your&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bobvila.com/galvanized-metal/16746-11-backsplashes-for-a-unique-kitchen/slideshows" target="_blank" title="Backsplash Ideas">backsplash</a>&nbsp;at an early stage of the renovation. Typically, the backsplash is installed shortly before project completion. If you postpone your decision until then, you may have to rush through the decision and end up settling on something you don&rsquo;t love &mdash; or end up hating.</p>
<p>Related:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.bobvila.com/articles/diy-kitchen-storage/">7 DIY Pantry Hacks and Kitchen Storage Ideas</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bobvila.com/articles/21561-old-country-farmhouse-gets-city-slick-kitchen/pages/1">Old Country Farmhouse Gets City-Slick Kitchen</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bobvila.com/trend-spotting/44668-designers-tell-all-top-12-kitchen-trends-revealed/slideshows">Designers Tell All: Top 12 Kitchen Trends Revealed</a></li>
</ul>
<p><em>Bob Vila is the home improvement expert widely known as host of TV&rsquo;s This Old House, Bob Vila&rsquo;s Home Again, and Bob Vila. Today, Bob continues his mission to help people upgrade their homes and improve their lives with advice online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bobvila.com/">BobVila.com</a>. His video-rich site offers a full range of fresh, authoritative&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bobvila.com/">content</a>&nbsp;&ndash; practical tips, inspirational ideas, and more than 1,000 videos from&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bobvila.com/projects">Bob Vila television</a>.</em></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-remodel-a-kitchen-2013-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/how-i-stupidly-got-ripped-off-by-not-getting-multiple-estimates-2013-4How I Stupidly Got Ripped Off By A Contractorhttp://www.businessinsider.com/how-i-stupidly-got-ripped-off-by-not-getting-multiple-estimates-2013-4
Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:44:00 -0400Len Penzo
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4ffaeb1d69beddfc1900000b-400-300/home-renovation-tools.jpg" border="0" alt="home renovation tools" width="400" height="300" /></p><p>Whether we realize it or not, we <a href="http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id18460-9-important-tips-for-managing-financial-risk.html">manage financial risk</a> whenever we take the time to get multiple price estimates from competing contractors. Those who do often get rewarded for their efforts.</p>
<p>As for those who don&rsquo;t, well &hellip; they often end up getting burned.</p>
<p>I learned that lesson the hard way last month after I stupidly decided to forgo the estimates and award a backyard hillside renovation job to the guy who cuts my lawn.</p>
<p>The job wasn&rsquo;t technically difficult; it consisted of finding and fixing a leaky underground irrigation pipe, weeding, and then laying down several inches of decorative bark to help retard future weed growth.</p>
<p>After explaining what I wanted to do, and taking some measurements to calculate the total area he would be renovating, my lawn guy assured me he could do everything for $1000.</p>
<p>&ldquo;A thousand dollars?&rdquo; I said. &ldquo;That seems kind of high.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Considering all the bark you&rsquo;re going to need, and the time it&rsquo;s going to take to weed the hill and fix your leak, that&rsquo;s not unreasonable, Mr. Penzo.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Well, Romero, I&rsquo;m not willing to pay that much.&rdquo;</p>
<p>After thinking things over for a few seconds, Romero said the best he could do was $800: $150 for the weeding, $400 for the bark, and $250 for fixing the leak.</p>
<p>For some reason, I accepted his offer. I can only assume it was because, with hay fever season around the corner, I was eager to get rid of the weeds as soon as possible.</p>
<p>Anyway, the next morning, I was at work when I got a call from the Honeybee. &ldquo;Romero finished fixing the hillside.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;What do you mean he finished?&rdquo; I said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not even 11 o&rsquo;clock. What time did he get there?&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Eight.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;What the &hellip; ? Put Romero on the phone!&rdquo; I shouted.</p>
<p>The next sound I heard on the other side of the line was Romero&rsquo;s cheerful voice. &ldquo;Mr. Penzo, if you ever need any other side work done, you let me know! You&rsquo;ve been very good to me! Thank you.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Uh oh. At that point, I realized I&rsquo;d probably been had.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Romero, did you find the leak?&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Oh yes!&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Did you weed the entire hillside?&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Yes, yes!&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;And you laid down all the bark?&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Yes! It looks beautiful!&rdquo;</p>
<p>Uh huh.</p>
<p>When I came home, I discovered that the irrigation leak turned out to be a relatively minor fix that <a href="http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html">even I could have done</a>.</p>
<p>I also noticed that the hillside wasn&rsquo;t weeded to my satisfaction; in many places the decorative bark was simply tossed over the wild grass.</p>
<p>So with a lump in my throat, I searched the Internet and got a general estimate on labor and material costs for placing decorative bark on a residential hillside. Um, I clearly overpaid for that too.</p>
<p>Of course, all of this could have been avoided if I had only taken the time to get quotes from multiple contractors while keeping these tips in mind:</p>
<p><strong>Do your research!</strong> Knowledge is power. So prior to getting any bids, educate yourself; scour the Internet for available options and general cost estimates. Also, nothing beats a referral from a satisfied customer, so ask your friends and neighbors for contractor recommendations. I could have saved at least $100 on the bark job alone if I had done my due diligence.</p>
<p><strong>Know what you want.</strong> Clear communications are important for ensuring accurate estimates. Setting firm requirements prior to asking for contractor bids is not only the best way to avoid overpaying for a service, but it also helps protect you from becoming a victim of bait-and-switch tactics.</p>
<p><strong>Ask questions!</strong> Remember, you&rsquo;re the boss! So protect yourself from being upsold on products and services you don&rsquo;t need by challenging contractors on the services, materials and products listed on their estimates. Don&rsquo;t ever be afraid to ask about cheaper alternatives, and the impacts of using lower-quality parts, or less-frequent servicing. I could have saved money by asking Romero to explain the basis of his estimates &mdash; especially regarding the irrigation task.</p>
<p><strong>Choose your bidders wisely.</strong> I don&rsquo;t care if you have a preferred contractor &mdash; <em></em><a href="http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1347-find-plumber-ripped.html">get at least three estimates</a> to keep them honest. And keep in mind that accepting a slightly higher bid from a reputable referral may make more sense than a lower bid from an unknown entity.</p>
<p><strong>Get your quotes in writing!&nbsp;</strong> A verbal estimate is only slightly better than no estimate at all, which is why unlicensed contractors and con artists prefer them. Always get a paper estimate for your records and make sure it&rsquo;s as detailed as possible.</p>
<p><strong>Always compare apples-to-apples.</strong> It&rsquo;s impossible to accurately compare bids if they consist of vastly different services and materials. Unscrupulous contractors usually give low-ball estimates that don&rsquo;t include incidental costs like demolition, disposal and delivery expenses &mdash; so verify that the bid you&rsquo;re given includes everything needed to complete the job.</p>
<p>I eventually got Romero to come back and properly weed the hill but, needless to say, I learned an expensive lesson: Before hiring any contractor, always get multiple estimates.</p>
<p>That is, unless you&rsquo;re the type who&rsquo;s allergic to saving money.</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">Photo Credit: Amit Patel</p>
<p><strong>Related Articles:</strong></p>
<ul class="similar-posts">
<li><a href="http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1347-find-plumber-ripped.html" title="February 18, 2013">How to Find A Low-Priced Plumber That Won&rsquo;t Rip You Off</a></li>
<li><a href="http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id607-how-to-avoid-neighbor-conflicts-when-its-time-for-a-new-fence-part-2.html" title="May 23, 2009">How to Avoid Neighbor Conflicts When It&rsquo;s Time for a New Fence (Part 2)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id647-ten-essential-negotiating-tactics-everyone-should-know-part-2.html" title="July 14, 2009">Ten Essential Negotiating Tactics Everyone Should Know (Part 2)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id13684-the-10-worst-things-i-ever-bought.html" title="July 17, 2012">The 10 Worst Things I Ever Bought</a></li>
<li><a href="http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1149-the-5-biggest-home-repair-ripoffs.html" title="May 24, 2010">The 5 Biggest Home Repair Ripoffs</a></li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LenPenzo/~4/vGGAVPlNplo" border="0" width="1" height="1" /></p>
<p><strong>Read more posts on <a href="http://lenpenzo.com/">Len Penzo dot Com &raquo;</a></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-i-stupidly-got-ripped-off-by-not-getting-multiple-estimates-2013-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-white-house-renovation-truman-gutted-national-archive-2013-3Incredible Photos Of The Gutted White House During Its 1950s Renovationhttp://www.businessinsider.com/photos-white-house-renovation-truman-gutted-national-archive-2013-3
Sat, 09 Mar 2013 08:00:00 -0500Megan Willett
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/513121dbecad040144000008-400-/white-house-demolition-1950-1.jpg" border="0" alt="White House demolition 1950" width="400" /></p><p>When President Harry Truman took office for his second term, <a href="http://www.trumanlibrary.org/abierowe/whitehse.htm" target="_blank">the White House was falling apart</a>.</p>
<p><span>The East Room floor was sagging 18 inches. The President's bathtub was sinking into the floor. And the structure could no longer support the&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/special/renovation-1948.htm" target="_blank">third level and steel roof that were added in 1927</a><span>.</span></p>
<p>So in 1948, the First Family was forced to vacate to the nearby Blair House &mdash; the official state guest house of the President &mdash; and the&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">White House underwent a massive four-year renovation that&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.trumanlibrary.org/abierowe/whitehse.htm" target="_blank">cost approximately $5.7 million</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Photos of the renovation, taken by National Park Service photographer&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whitehousehistory.org/whha_photographs/whitehouse_truman-renovation.html#" target="_blank">Abbie Rowe</a>&nbsp;and made available by the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/page3/%20" target="_blank">U.S. National Archive</a><span></span>&nbsp;illustrate how massive this undertaking really was.</p><h3>All of these images are from a batch in 1950, when the project was halfway complete.</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/51310859eab8ea0c6200003c-400-300/all-of-these-images-are-from-a-batch-in-1950-when-the-project-was-halfway-complete.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><em>Source: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/page4/" target="_blank">U.S. National Archives</a></em></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>In total, the renovation cost $5.7 million.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/51310856eab8ead064000002-400-300/in-total-the-renovation-cost-57-million.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><em>Source: <a href="http://www.trumanlibrary.org/abierowe/whitehse.htm" target="_blank">Truman Library</a><em></em><a href="http://www.trumanlibrary.org/abierowe/whitehse.htm" target="_blank"><em></em><em></em><br /></a></em></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>To support the walls, crews poured 126 new concrete support columns that reached depths of 26 feet.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5131085a69bedd0d3d000000-400-300/to-support-the-walls-crews-poured-126-new-concrete-support-columns-that-reached-depths-of-26-feet.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><em>Source: <a href="http://www.whitehousehistory.org/whha_photographs/whitehouse_truman-renovation.html#" target="_blank">White House History</a></em></p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-white-house-renovation-truman-gutted-national-archive-2013-3#the-white-house-interior-was-hollow-by-1950-it-measured-165-feet-long-85-feet-wide-and-80-feet-high-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/freshen-up-home-for-less-than-1500-2013-2Simple Ways To Freshen Up Your Home For Less Than $1,500http://www.businessinsider.com/freshen-up-home-for-less-than-1500-2013-2
Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:54:00 -0500Roslyn Ashford
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5126351aecad04a50f00000f-401-300/president-obama-painting-3.jpg" border="0" alt="President Obama painting" width="401" height="300" />You never get a second chance to make a first impression and neither does your home. Even a nice place in a desirable neighborhood will linger on the market if&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.zillow.com/learnmore/what-zillow-offers-buyers.htm" target="_blank">buyers</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;are too distracted by clutter and minor cosmetic imperfections that easily could have been fixed prior to any showings.</span></p>
<p><span>It&rsquo;s a lesson one&nbsp;<a href="http://www.zillow.com/dc/" target="_blank">Washington, DC</a>&nbsp;seller learned the hard way. Her basement condo&nbsp;&mdash; just two blocks from a Metro station &mdash;&nbsp;had seen a steady stream of prospective buyers but no offers.</span></p>
<p>Eyesores such as uneven paint, a bad wall repair job, an empty dining area and general messiness seemed to be scaring buyers away. The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.zillow.com/directory/real-estate-agents/" target="_blank">real estate agent</a>&nbsp;advised the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.zillow.com/learnmore/what-zillow-offers-sellers.htm" target="_blank">seller</a>&nbsp;to lower her asking price by $10,000, prompting her to seek professional&nbsp;<a href="http://www.zillow.com/directory/real-estate-services-staging/" target="_blank">home staging</a>&nbsp;advice.</p>
<p>For about $1,500 &mdash; including wall repair work, paint, furniture rental and staging fees &mdash;&nbsp;the seller was able to create a fresher, more appealing space (and add that $10,000 back onto her asking price).</p>
<p>Even if you have a limited budget, you can make a huge impact on your property by following a few key tips:</p>
<h3>Clear out the clutter</h3>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-before-003-9590c2-e1360787277372.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-110999 aligncenter" src="http://cdn2.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-before-003-9590c2-e1360787277372.jpg" border="0" alt="Kitchen before" width="500" height="375" /></a></p>
<p>Clutter is distracting and creates the impression that a room lacks storage space. In the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.zillow.com/digs/kitchens/" target="_blank">kitchen</a>&nbsp;above, the stainless steel appliances and upgraded cabinets and countertops were obscured by appliances, dishes and other items that simply needed to be put away.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn1.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-zafter-003-944771-e1360787640200.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-111006 aligncenter" src="http://cdn1.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-zafter-003-944771-e1360787640200.jpg" border="0" alt="Kitchen after" width="500" height="667" /></a></p>
<p>Remember less is more: Make the most of your kitchen&rsquo;s space by limiting the number of items on the countertops to a few essentials such as the coffee maker and paper towel holder.</p>
<h3>&nbsp;Define the purpose</h3>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-before005-79e564-e1360787488596.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-111003 aligncenter" src="http://cdn2.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-before005-79e564-e1360787488596.jpg" border="0" alt="Dining nook before" width="500" height="375" /></a></p>
<p>You might not use your dining nook for eating, but having a designated&nbsp;<a href="http://www.zillow.com/digs/dining-rooms/" target="_blank">dining area</a>&nbsp;could be a major selling point for some buyers. The space above, located just off the kitchen, lacked purpose and didn&rsquo;t seem like a usable space.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn1.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-zafter-005-d18fa9-e1360787737712.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-111008" src="http://cdn1.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-zafter-005-d18fa9-e1360787737712.jpg" border="0" alt="dc staging zafter 005" width="500" height="667" /></a></p>
<p>Now, a small table and chairs define the previously empty space, giving buyers an idea of how they could live in the condo.</p>
<h3>Show what you&rsquo;ve got</h3>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-before-004-f93621.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-111033" src="http://cdn2.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-before-004-f93621-e1360793113851.jpg" border="0" alt="dc staging before 004" width="500" height="375" /></a></p>
<p>Did you notice the interesting alcove in the photo above? Chances are most buyers didn&rsquo;t either. Architectural details such as crown molding and chair rails top some buyers&rsquo; must-have lists, but in the living room above, they&rsquo;re barely noticeable.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn1.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-zafter-004-2666bc-e1360787670289.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-111007 aligncenter" src="http://cdn1.blog-media.zillowstatic.com/1/dc-staging-zafter-004-2666bc-e1360787670289.jpg" border="0" alt="Living room after" width="500" height="667" /></a></p>
<p>Removing the unnecessary curtains and placing a geometrical bookcase in the nook highlights the previously unused space, making it a focal point. A rug, coffee table and art complete the transformation into a warm, inviting&nbsp;<a href="http://www.zillow.com/digs/living-rooms/" target="_blank">living room</a>.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-cheapest-cities-to-live-in-the-us-2013-2" >The 10 Cheapest Cities In The US</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/freshen-up-home-for-less-than-1500-2013-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/cost-of-excessive-home-renovations-2013-1This American Idol's Remodeling Mistake Should Be A Cautionary Talehttp://www.businessinsider.com/cost-of-excessive-home-renovations-2013-1
Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:25:00 -0500Paul Sisolak
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/eb7a6c79f09933480e271200-400-300/david_cook400.jpg" border="0" alt="david cook400" />Every dog has its day, like the old saying goes, but for singer David Cook and his dog, they&rsquo;ve seen better ones.</span></p>
<p>When the American Idol idol was dropped by his record label last year, Cook pulled up stakes at his Los Angeles/Beachwood Canyon home, heading back to greener pastures in his home state of Missouri.</p>
<p>Cook&rsquo;s 3-bedroom, 3-bath, 3,071-square-foot abode &mdash; with the sweet view of the Hollywood sign &mdash; should have demanded top dollar.</p>
<p>But to add insult to the injury of leaving Tinseltown, Cook was unable to sell the palatial pad for his $1.495 million asking price. Instead, he settled on a lesser, $1.399 million deal. What was the reason?<span id="more-239240"></span></p>
<p>According to Realtor.com, the house boasted an open floor plan, wood flooring, skylights, a master suite with its own private floor, and a private recording studio.</p>
<p>Top dollar digs, for sure &mdash; Zillow.com even estimated Cook&rsquo;s monthly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gobankingrates.com/r/4f0de6020e/?subid=gbr_Customization" title="Mortgage Loan">mortgage loan</a>&nbsp;payment at $4,863 (assuming 20% down on a 30-year FRM).</p>
<p>Some speculate that the lackluster sale was Cook&rsquo;s overzealous over-customizing for his dog that dwindled interest and plummeted the price.</p>
<p>The spacious yard reserved for his dog was larger than three of most people&rsquo;s real backyards, combined. Cook isn&rsquo;t alone in the&nbsp;<strong>custom homes</strong>&nbsp;department &mdash; enthusiast pilot John Travolta&rsquo;s got an airplane hangar attached to his home, and singer Beyonce sports a sparkle-encrusted bathtub.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/15-vacation-homes-for-500000-or-less-2013-zillow-1">See 15 gorgeous vacation homes for $500,000 or less &gt;</a></h3>
<p>The truth is, over-customizing lowers a home&rsquo;s resale value. What one homeowner considers treasure is another&rsquo;s trash. It doesn&rsquo;t matter how affordable the carefully customized&nbsp;<strong>home renovations</strong>&nbsp;are; if they&rsquo;re too difficult to maintain, don&rsquo;t fit into buyers&rsquo; lifestyles, or are just plain tacky, making your home &nbsp;too &ldquo;niche&rdquo; can discourage potential buyers.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/15-vacation-homes-for-500000-or-less-2013-zillow-1"></a></p>
<p>Before you think about digging that 100-yard-long swimming pool flanked by gold columns, take a look at this list before going overboard on the over-customizing.</p>
<p><strong>Custom Home Designs: When Too Much Really is Too Much</strong></p>
<p>These &ldquo;<strong>home improvem</strong><strong>ents</strong>&rdquo; are bona fide value killers and will not impress a real estate agent or anyone you hope to sell your home to.</p>
<p><strong>1. Over-customized/generally tacky exteriors</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>There are exceptions, like turning your house into a billboard to help save it from&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gobankingrates.com/mortgage-rates/crazy-effective-strategies-saving-home-foreclosure/" title="foreclosure">foreclosure</a>. Any other reason to paint your house neon green is out of character with your community and is just asking for its value knocked down a few hundred thousand dollars.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This kind of house will be extremely difficult to sell because potential home buyers won&rsquo;t be willing to spend the time and money to redecorate it to their liking,&rdquo; says Credit Sesame.</p>
<p>If you must go against the neighborhood grain, stay with safer, neutral paint colors and tasteful add-ons that hold more general appeal to buyers.</p>
<p><strong>2. Wall-to-wall carpeting</strong></p>
<p>In the 1970s, a house full of lush, cut-pile shag carpeting may have worked wonders for a home&rsquo;s value and appeal. In 2013, it can bring your home&rsquo;s resale value down. Why? According to both Credit Sesame and Jean Folger of Investopedia, carpeting is expensive to purchase, install and maintain.</p>
<p>(If you have kids, think of all the spilled messes to clean; for pets, all the trapped allergens.) Plus, like your house&rsquo;s paint job, the design and color of your interior carpeting makes a big difference in how appealing, and valuable, your home is (or isn&rsquo;t).</p>
<p>Carpeting is not a floor&rsquo;s enemy, mind you &mdash; so if you do prefer it, decorate with a mix of carpet, hardwood floors and tiles. Area rugs also work well for the budget conscious.</p>
<p><strong>3. Niche rooms and big-ticket upgrades</strong></p>
<p>We&rsquo;ve seen them in plenty of houses before: that state-of-the-art, high-tech home theater. In the next room, the most antiquated kitchen or bathroom this side of the 19th century.&nbsp;<strong>Custom home designs</strong>, by and large, work best when they&rsquo;re carried out altogether, or not at all.</p>
<p>&ldquo;High-quality upgrades generally increase the value of high-end homes,&rdquo; notes Folger, &ldquo;but not necessarily mid-range houses, where the upgrade may be inconsistent with the rest of the home.&rdquo;</p>
<p>And what guy wouldn&rsquo;t like to have his own man cave? If it means dropping the value of your home, you might want to reconsider. Here&rsquo;s the consumer rationale:</p>
<ul>
<li>Invest money into a high-end add-on, like a wine cellar, basketball court or rock climbing room.</li>
<li>Watch your home&rsquo;s value grow from said investment.</li>
</ul>
<p>Expensive add-ons don&rsquo;t class up a middle-class home and give it little to no new value. &ldquo;Even if you upgrade a house to a value of $400,000 in a $250,000 neighborhood,&rdquo; says Credit Sesame, &ldquo;potential home buyers probably will not be willing to pay substantially more than the most expensive house in the neighborhood. The house will continue to seem overpriced, even if it appears to be more desirable than other homes in the area.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>4. Swimming pools</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>Location makes a difference with a pool. What demands value in California, Arizona or Florida calls for less in Montana, for example. Swimming pools may not seem like a big home value liability, but they are:&nbsp;<strong>home renovation costs</strong>&nbsp;to install an in-ground pool is $10,000, says Credit Sesame; maintenance costs average $1,500 annually.</p>
<p>They can also be a safety hazard for homeowners with small children: &ldquo;Many potential home buyers view swimming pools as dangerous, expensive to maintain and a lawsuit waiting to happen,&rdquo; says Investopedia.</p>
<p><strong>5. &ldquo;Invisible&rdquo; renovations</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>&ldquo;Invisible improvements are those costly projects that you know make your house a better place to live in, but that nobody else would notice &mdash; or likely care about,&rdquo; Folger explains.</p>
<p>Necessities like new central heating, air conditioning, or plumbing may seem like a good idea &mdash; or even be mandatory &mdash; but they don&rsquo;t mean squat when it comes time to sell your home.</p>
<p>The unfortunate reason is that home shoppers don&rsquo;t consider these items luxuries, or even amenities &mdash; they&rsquo;re just regular pieces of a home they won&rsquo;t consider paying extra cash for. &ldquo;It may be better,&rdquo; notes Investopedia, &ldquo;to think of these improvements in terms of regular maintenance, and not an investment in your home&rsquo;s value.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>When Home Improvements Go Right</strong></p>
<p>According to Zillow, homes in the Pacific U.S. &mdash; Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon and Washington &mdash; have the highest average cost-value ratio in the U.S., at 71.3%, because the high costs to remodel on the West Coast is balanced out by high resale values.</p>
<p>In findings from the National Association of Realtors and Remodeling, Zillow reports that seven of the top 10 most cost-effective&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.gobankingrates.com/mortgage-rates/5-tips-cover-mortgage-loan-renovating-home-hgtv-income-prperty-scott-mcillivray/" title="home renovations">home renovations</a></strong>&nbsp;are exterior&nbsp;<strong>home improvements</strong>. Fiber-cement siding replacement, the report showed, holds the most return value, with 78% of costs recovered at resale.</p>
<p>Steel entry door replacement &mdash; the cheapest on the list at $1,200 &mdash; retains 73% of its value, and low-end kitchen remodels, at $20,000, hold over 72% of their value at home resale, too.</p>
<p>So if splurging on&nbsp;<strong>custom built homes</strong>&nbsp;is a bit out of your wallet&rsquo;s price league, don&rsquo;t go to the other extreme and pay for renovations that lose your house money when it comes time to sell. You may be stuck with them &nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gobankingrates.com/mortgage-rates/" title="Mortgage">mortgage</a>&nbsp;forever, fulfilling another old adage:</p>
<p>&ldquo;Be careful what over-customized add-ons you wish for; you might just get them.&rdquo;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/most-expensive-cities-for-luxury-rentals-2013-1" >The 20 most expensive cities for luxury rentals ></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cost-of-excessive-home-renovations-2013-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/ways-to-hack-ikea-furniture-2012-825 Brilliant Ways To Hack IKEA Furniturehttp://www.businessinsider.com/ways-to-hack-ikea-furniture-2012-8
Thu, 02 Aug 2012 10:53:00 -0400Mandi Woodruff
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5017fc3decad04016400000d/jules.jpg" border="0" alt="jules" /></p><p>IKEA is a goldmine for yuppies seeking stylish furniture on a budget.</p>
<p>For a few hundred bucks you could walk off the lot with an entire bedroom set.&nbsp;The only problem is that you risk ending up with the same set-up as everyone you know.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That's where blogs like&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ikeahackers.net/" target="_blank">IKEAhackers.net</a>&nbsp;come in handy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The site&ndash;&ndash;run by Mylasian blogger "Jules"&ndash;&ndash;is updatedly hourly with clever hacks for run-of-the-mill IKEA goods from around the world.</p>
<p>Some hackers simply find new uses for average items, but only the most creative earn a coveted spot on IKEA Hackers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"<span>From its rather unglamorous beginnings, the site has grown so much that it still surprises me," Jules says.&nbsp;</span></p><h3>This Blanda Matt salad bowl doesn't usually get much further than kitchen tables. </h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/501842fa6bb3f79817000000-400-300/this-blanda-matt-salad-bowl-doesnt-usually-get-much-further-than-kitchen-tables.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Hacker Robert had bigger plans than tossing salads: "I wanted to make a pair of speaker enclosures and bought a pair of Ikea, glued them together then mounted the speaker driver in them."</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/501844d8ecad04bc6500000e-400-300/hacker-robert-had-bigger-plans-than-tossing-salads-i-wanted-to-make-a-pair-of-speaker-enclosures-and-bought-a-pair-of-ikea-glued-them-together-then-mounted-the-speaker-driver-in-them.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.ikeahackers.net/2008/11/this-salad-bowl-sounds-good.html%20" target="_blank">See his full hack here.</a></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Here's how IKEA envisioned its Kura kids bed would look: </h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/50183e78eab8ea6c53000011-400-300/heres-how-ikea-envisioned-its-kura-kids-bed-would-look.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ways-to-hack-ikea-furniture-2012-8#athens-greece-native-ioannis-turned-into-a-high-flying-suspension-bed-instead-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/tour-david-hoffmans-sustainable-home-before-its-demolished-2012-7Tour The Epic Sustainable Home That California Is About To Demolishhttp://www.businessinsider.com/tour-david-hoffmans-sustainable-home-before-its-demolished-2012-7
Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:49:00 -0400Mandi Woodruff
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/500d6efa6bb3f7f30b000002/david.jpg" border="0" alt="david" /></p><p>David Hoffman, 67, spent the last 40 years transforming <a href="http://www.thephoenixcollection.com/savethecave/index.php" target="_blank">his Lagunitas, Calif.&nbsp;home</a> into a model for modern day sustainability.</p>
<p>The epic renovation included a&nbsp;30-foot hand-dug well, an earthworm-powered plumbing system, a fully-equipped tea house and dozens of other structures designed and built by Hoffman himself.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There was just one problem with his vision&ndash;&ndash;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/david-hoffman-must-tear-down-his-self-sustaining-home-2012-7#ixzz21S5gPLYA" target="_blank">he never got the proper building permits.</a></p>
<p><span>After a decades-long battle, county officials have given Hoffman until Aug. 1 to level everything down to the bricks and pay a $226,000 fine.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>"I never felt like I owned this property," he told <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/business-insider" class="hidden_link">Business Insider</a>. "What I'm building, what my motivation was didn't really involve me as much as a showcase or model of sustainability."</span></p>
<p><span><span></span></span>We caught up with Hoffman and asked him to take us on a virtual tour of the home that's stirring up so much controversy.&nbsp;</p><h3>Here's a bird's eye view of the property, which Hoffman bought in 1973 for a mere $38,000. "Back then, you had your choice of house," he recalls. "I bought a half acre from next door for $500. That person had gotten it for free." On the left is his prize tea house. On the right, the home where he and his wife, Bee, live. His workshop is underneath.</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/500d543e6bb3f7dd54000011-400-300/heres-a-birds-eye-view-of-the-property-which-hoffman-bought-in-1973-for-a-mere-38000-back-then-you-had-your-choice-of-house-he-recalls-i-bought-a-half-acre-from-next-door-for-500-that-person-had-gotten-it-for-free-on-the-left-is-his-prize-tea-house-on-the-right-the-home-where-he-and-his-wife-bee-live-his-workshop-is-underneath.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.thephoenixcollection.com/savethecave/photo-gallery.php" target="_blank">Photo: David Lee Hoffman</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>The property's surrounded by Douglas-fir trees, many of which were used for lumber. "When I first moved here, it was very rustic," he says. "Half the houses were empty and you could pretty much do whatever you wanted out here as long as you weren't bothering anyone."</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/500d535569bedd9408000019-400-300/the-propertys-surrounded-by-douglas-fir-trees-many-of-which-were-used-for-lumber-when-i-first-moved-here-it-was-very-rustic-he-says-half-the-houses-were-empty-and-you-could-pretty-much-do-whatever-you-wanted-out-here-as-long-as-you-werent-bothering-anyone.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.thephoenixcollection.com/savethecave/photo-gallery.php">Photo by David Briggs</a></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>There are some 30 structures on site, including a hand dug well that uses a solar powered pump to refill itself; a solar-powered shower; a rainwater pond; and an outdoor toilet.</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/500d530769bedd770b000011-400-300/there-are-some-30-structures-on-site-including-a-hand-dug-well-that-uses-a-solar-powered-pump-to-refill-itself-a-solar-powered-shower-a-rainwater-pond-and-an-outdoor-toilet.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.thephoenixcollection.com/savethecave/photo-gallery.php" target="_blank">Photo: David Lee Hoffman</a></p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tour-david-hoffmans-sustainable-home-before-its-demolished-2012-7#hoffmans-workshop-is-the-nucleus-of-the-property-and-was-the-first-structure-he-built-thats-who-i-am-he-says-im-down-there-everyday-tinkering-a-little-bit-with-his-68th-birthday-approaching-hes-had-to-scale-back-his-work-schedule-i-have-two-bad-shoulders-a-bad-backi-make-smaller-things-now-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-inside-the-abandoned-domino-sugar-refinery-2012-6Step Inside The Abandoned Domino Sugar Refinery In Brooklynhttp://www.businessinsider.com/photos-inside-the-abandoned-domino-sugar-refinery-2012-6
Sat, 16 Jun 2012 10:39:00 -0400Callie Bost
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4fdb9aa5eab8eab55600000e/domino-sugar.jpg" border="0" alt="domino sugar" /></p><p>In the late 19th century, more than 20 sugar refineries in Brooklyn produced over half of the country's cane sugar. Several of these refineries eventually became Domino <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/sugar" class="hidden_link">Sugar</a>, and the world's largest refinery was born.</p>
<p>But with the creation of artificial sweeteners and high-fructose corn syrup, the need for natural sugar plummeted and led to the demise of the sugar cane industry. Domino closed its Williamsburg plant in 2004.</p>
<p>The property has been the center of a mess of litigation and compromise since it was bought by the Community Preservation Corporation, leaving the refinery untouched, but decaying.</p>
<p>For now, the Domino Sugar refinery stands in Williamsburg as a sign of what used to be.</p>
<p><a href="http://abandonednyc.com/" target="_blank">Abandoned NYC</a> creator and photographer <a href="http://abandonednyc.com/about/" target="_blank">Will Ellis</a> captured some eerie images of what the inside of the refinery looks like now, and shared a few with us. Check out the full photogallery on his <a href="http://abandonednyc.com/2012/05/21/inside-the-domino-sugar-refinery/">website</a>.</p><h3>The refinery was built in 1884 after a fire destroyed the old sugarhouse. In 1887, 17 sugar refineries merged and became the Sugar Refineries Co., which would later be renamed American Sugar Refining Co./Domino Sugar.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4fdb619deab8eaf250000012-400-300/the-refinery-was-built-in-1884-after-a-fire-destroyed-the-old-sugarhouse-in-1887-17-sugar-refineries-merged-and-became-the-sugar-refineries-co-which-would-later-be-renamed-american-sugar-refining-codomino-sugar.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>At Domino's prime, the company employed over 5,000 workers and was capable of producing 3 million pounds of processed sugar a day.</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4fdb63c5ecad040559000004-400-300/at-dominos-prime-the-company-employed-over-5000-workers-and-was-capable-of-producing-3-million-pounds-of-processed-sugar-a-day.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>In 2004, Domino closed. Community Preservation Corp. and designer Isaac Katan purchased the property for $58 million, including this Raw Sugar Warehouse addition.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4fdb60a8eab8ea2351000004-400-300/in-2004-domino-closed-community-preservation-corp-and-designer-isaac-katan-purchased-the-property-for-58-million-including-this-raw-sugar-warehouse-addition.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-inside-the-abandoned-domino-sugar-refinery-2012-6#the-interior-of-the-abandoned-refinery-the-cpc-and-katan-initially-planned-to-build-a-new-domino-complex-with-both-high-and-low-rise-apartment-buildings-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a>